IOC vows ‘no compromise’ on cricket pitches at 2028 Olympic Games

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, July 30, 2026

Cricket will return to the Olympic Games in 2028 with women's and men's tournaments scheduled in Los Angeles, marking the sport’s first appearance since 1900. Rigorous preparations are underway to ensure high-quality pitches, with venues already hosting professional matches to fine-tune conditions and support a historic Olympic debut.

Cricket is set to make its return to the Olympic Games after a 128-year absence, with competitions scheduled to take place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The tournament will begin with the women’s final on July 20, followed by the men’s gold medal match on July 29. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has emphasized that maintaining the highest standards for the cricket pitches is a key priority as preparations continue.

Pierre Ducrey, IOC sports director, acknowledged past challenges with cricket pitch quality, citing concerns during the 2024 men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by the United States. At that event, inconsistencies in drop-in pitches at Nassau County led to criticism and an admission from the International Cricket Council (ICC) that conditions did not meet expectations. However, Ducrey expressed confidence that the venues planned for the Olympic cricket matches will avoid similar issues.

Work on the Olympic cricket venue began on April 22, and a dedicated square with 32,000 metric tons of earth was constructed under the supervision of Australian curator Damian Hough. Earlier this month, the venue hosted seven Major League Cricket (MLC) matches, providing an opportunity to assess conditions ahead of the Olympics. While scores during the MLC matches were relatively low—with a first-innings average of 132.7, below other MLC venues in Grand Prairie and Oakland—Ducrey maintained that pitch quality will remain a top-level focus.

He stressed that the IOC’s approach to venue preparation is comprehensive and underscores the importance of the playing field, comparing it to standards applied for golf courses and tennis courts. “The quality of the grass and the pitches are the fundamental things,” Ducrey said. He also highlighted the advantage of having the venue in active use for competitive matches in the lead-up to the Games, allowing organizers and players to understand how the surface behaves over time.

Qualification processes for the Olympic tournament have begun, with Great Britain securing a place in the women’s event through England’s runner-up finish at this year’s Women’s T20 World Cup. The men’s team is also widely expected to qualify based on their top global ranking. Ducrey noted that earning a spot in the Olympics can be as significant as winning a medal, emphasizing the historic opportunity for cricketers to become the first Olympians from their countries in the sport.

With these preparations underway, the IOC projects that cricket’s reintroduction at Los Angeles 2028 will mark a successful and memorable chapter in the Games’ history.

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